10 Rules For Dating My Daughter
by misticalcookie
Summary: Their daughter is growing up fast, much to their dismay.  And now she's going on her first date!
1. Rule 1:  Don't Be Late

**10 Rules For Dating My Daughter**

**Rule 1: Don't be late: **_When picking up my daughter, please arrive at the specified time. If you told her you would pick her up at 6pm, you better be here on the dot. Also, bring her home BEFORE her designated curfew. If you're late, it's disastrous, but if she's late, let it slide. Let her take over an hour to get ready, she's trying to look her best for you._

The clock on the mantle struck six on the dot. It sent the small, close-knit family of four into total disarray.

Katniss was sitting on the floor with the little boy, looking through a book with photos. He kept pointing at people he knew and calling out their names.

Peeta was in the kitchen cleaning his knives and sharpening them. They would never be sharp enough though.

"He's going to be here any minute," the little boy squealed. Earning him a glare from his mother.

"Daddy, how do I look?" The girl asked as she twirled around in the room for the others to see.

Peeta choked as he looked at her. His little girl, all grown up. "Beautiful," he managed to say.

The girl rolled her eyes, "you _have_ to say that, because you're my dad."

"You look fine," Katniss assured her daughter.

"No I don't," the girl wailed, running up the stairs to her room. The door slammed shut behind her.

Katniss and Peeta exchanged a look. Their daughter was such a drama queen.

Peeta made a move to go talk to Delphine, but Katniss held him back.

"Give her a moment, it's her first date, she wants to look perfect."

"You never had that problem," Peeta said, taking his wife into his arms and twirling her around. For once, Katniss wasn't scowling. But he loved her no matter what position her lips were in.

There was a rap on the door and Peeta took a deep breath. It was the moment of truth, the moment the whole family had been waiting for.

Peeta glanced at the clock, ten minutes past six. He opened the door to see a boy with sun kissed blonde hair and big blue eyes.

"Hi," the boy stammered, "I'm here to take Delphine on a date."

"You're late," Peeta said in his scariest voice that he could muster. It used to work on the kids when they were younger, but they knew better now. This boy had no clue, so Peeta's scary voice worked. "You told Delphine you'd be here at six, and it is ten minutes after.

"I'm sorry," the boy stammered.

"Peeta, let the poor boy in," Katniss scolded her husband from behind.

Peeta stepped aside so Delphine's date could come in.

"She'll be just a moment," Katniss assured the boy, "I'm her mother, Mrs. Mellark."

At first there had been some _arguments_ on if Katniss would change her last name. In the end, she had, after promising to be a better Mrs. Mellark then her predecessor.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Thamden."

"We've heard so much about you," Peeta said.

"All good I hope," Thamden said. It was clear that he wanted to make a good impression on Delphine's parents.

Peeta shrugged, "maybe."

"Except for that part where Delphine told us about that booger on your nose."

"Finley," Katniss scolded her son while Peeta held back his laughter. Or he tried to at least. He wasn't doing a great job of it.

"Don't worry, I thought it was a pretty funny story too," Thamden said. He turned around in the room, glancing at all the photos on the wall. Tons of Delphine and her brother, a few small portraits of a girl with blonde hair.

This was Delphine's family, he had to get to know them if he wanted to be in her life.

"I was in the Hunger Games," Peeta said, causing the others to look over at him. He usually didn't talk about that when Katniss was around. It was like a tabooed subject or something. "I know how to take someone's life, and if you hurt my daughter, trust me, you'll wish that the Hunger Games were still around."

"Now Peeta, there's no need to scare the boy," Katniss said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. He relaxed slightly. Katniss turned to Thamden, "then again, I was the more vicious competitor in the Game."

"Now who's scaring the boy?" Peeta asked with a smile. If he had ever before doubted his love for his wife, he sure wasn't doubting it before.

"I'm not planning on hurting her," Thamden tried to promise them. But when it came to their daughter, not even Chuck Norris could assure them that she would be okay.

There was a creaking from upstairs, and soon enough, Delphine appeared on the staircase. Peeta couldn't take his eyes off of his daughter. She was beautiful, just like her mother. Delphine smiled at them.

Katniss was watching Thamden to see his reaction to Delphine. He was looking at her in awe, as if he couldn't believe that she had agreed to go on a date with him.

"Delphine," Peeta said in an adoring fatherly voice as he held out his arm to her. She took it with a smile.

"Are you being nice to Thamden?" She asked her parents, making sure to direct it at Peeta. She checked to make sure that the knives were tucked safely away in their holding block.

"Absolutely," Peeta responded, Delphine lowered her eyes at him but didn't call him out on the lie.

Delphine went over to Thamden. "You ready?"

"Not so fast Delphine," Peeta said, "we have to go over some ground rules first."

Delphine rolled her eyes but sat down on the couch and gestured for Thamden to join her.

"You will have her home before ten."

"Daddy," Delphine tried to plead with him.

"Nine thirty then," Katniss put in.

"Fine, ten," Delphine sighed. Knowing that she had been played.

"I don't know, I like the sound of nine," Peeta said with a smile. Delphine decided not to argue on that point. Arguing usually didn't get her anyway. Except her room for a few hours.

"I have to be home by ten anyway, so I'll have Delphine back here before then," Thamden interrupted them before they could change the time again.

"Daddy, you're wasting time," Delphine finally said, grabbing Thamden "_My _time. Thamden promises to get me home at a decent hour, he won't touch me, he won't take advantage of me, he will be polite and nice. And he will pay for everything," Delphine directed the last part at Thamden. There were no objections.

Peeta lowered his eyes at her, but Delphine smiled sweetly.

"Fine," Katniss finally said, "have fun you two."

Peeta turned to Thamden, "you make her cry, and I'll make _you _cry."

Delphine rolled her eyes and escorted Thamden to the door.

"Our little girl is all grown up," Katniss said softly as she leaned into Peeta's arms.

"It doesn't matter if she seventy with gray hair, she'll always be my little girl," Peeta said wistfully. "Always."

**Review? **


	2. Rule 2: Don't Touch My Daughter

**10 Rules For Dating My Daughter**

**Rule 2: Don't Touch My Daughter: **_This rule is self-explanatory. Do not touch my daughter. Seriously, this is an easy rule to follow, and as long as you do, you will keep all of your fingers._

The clock struck nine, Peeta was still pacing the floor, putting a nice little dent in their carpet.

Katniss rolled her eyes as Peeta jumped, startled by the clock.

"Where is she?" Peeta said, running to the window for signs of his daughter and her date. He was regretting letting her go out in the first place. He really should have enforced his 'No dating til you're thirty' rule.

"I think Daddy took his crazy pills today," Finley whispered, Katniss shushed her son, but, secretly she agreed with Finley. Peeta could be slightly over the top when it came to Delphine.

"It's only nine dear, they still have an hour," Katniss reminded him gently.

Peeta muttered something under his breath that caused Finley to giggle and Katniss to glare. He went back to pacing on the floor while Finley and Katniss cleaned up the toys that littered the ground. Soon it would be time for Finley to get ready for bed.

At nine fifteen, Peeta was back in the kitchen, taking his stress out on his knives. Back and forth on the sharpening block. Sharpening knives was actually quite difficult, it took skill, time and patience. Certain things should never be done when a person is angry and nervous. Sharpening knives was one of them.

"You're going to wear down the blade," Katniss called as she and Finley played cards at the kitchen table. Finley had begged Katniss to be able to stay up and wait for Delphine to come home. Katniss had given in, she had difficulties saying no when it came to Finley. All he had to do was put on his sweet little puppy dog eyes, and she was at his mercy.

"Am not," Peeta muttered as he swiped the knife across the sharpening surface again.

At nine thirty, Peeta was sitting down at the table with his wife and son. Katniss had threatened to break his knives if he didn't put them away. And Katniss and Finley had coerced Peeta into playing the card game "oh hell" with them.

"It's not the same without Delphine playing with us," Peeta said as he picked up his hand.

"I'm glad she's not playing," Finley chirped happily, "for once I'm winning."

"That's because she cheats," Katniss pointed out as she put down a card.

Finley glared at her, "wrong suit," he said as he put down a card next to hers.

At nine forty five, they heard voices outside of the house. Finley threw his cards on the table and ran to the window.

"They're here!" He cried out as he hunched down and watched his older sister flirt with her date. "Ew," he said, but continued to watch.

"WHAT!" Peeta flew to the window and peered out just in time to see Thamden take his lips away from Delphine's. Peeta's eyes boggled out of his head.

"Daddy, you look funny like that," Finley commented with a giggle. Katniss finally joined them at the window to see what the fuss was all about. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Peeta, leave them be," she warned them. Peeta clenched and unclenched his fists.

"I had a good time," Delphine's voice floated in through the cracked window.

"Me too," Thamden agreed, "we should do it again."

"I would like that," Delphine smiled, then glanced over at the house. She caught eyes with her father and she glared at him. Peeta waved at her. "I've got to go," Delphine said to Thamden, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Until then," Thamden replied, leaning in and giving her a kiss on her cheek. He left her standing on the porch. Delphine's face was beet red when she finally turned to the door and let herself in.

"What do you mean, you'll see him tomorrow?" Peeta said before the front door had even closed behind her.

"School dad," Delphine reminded him.

Peeta turned to Katniss, "WE LET HER GO ON A DATE ON A SCHOOL NIGHT?"

Katniss sighed, "Yes dear, it was your idea, you said if she went on a school night then she had to be home earlier."

"And I should probably be going to bed now," Delphine said as she headed up the stairs, "I need to get my beauty sleep so the boys can't keep their eyes off of me tomorrow."

Peeta's eyes grew wider and he stuttered, "what?"

"It was a joke dad," Delphine giggled, she went over to him and hugged him tight. "Thanks for letting me go, I had a great night."

And with that, Delphine headed to her room and shut the door.

"I'm enforcing the rule that she can't date til she's thirty," Peeta said as he went back into the kitchen and grabbed his butcher knife.

Katniss rolled her eyes. "We'll discuss that after I get Finley to bed."

Finley groaned. "Do I have to wait until I'm thirty to date as well?"

"Yes, after all, we don't want to play favorites," Katniss said as she ushered him up the stairs.

Finley made a face, "but mom, there's this girl-"

"I should hope not," Katniss interrupted him. "Girls are off limits."

"I'm not the only crazy one," Peeta said as he watched the spectacle.

"I never said I was sane," Katniss smiled as she wiggled herself into his arms.

The two of them checked on the children and then headed to their own room to have a date of their own.

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